Guard dies in a hit-and-run at WEH toll naka

According to the police, on Saturday Gutukade was sitting on a chair on the footpath at the toll gate, from where he was supposed to note down the license numbers of the passing vehicles

Mumbai: A woman was booked on Saturday for allegedly knocking down a security guard near the toll naka on the Western Express highway with her four-wheeler. The guard, Ramesh Pandurang Gutukade, 45, succumbed to his injuries later the same day.

Guard dies in a hit-and-run at WEH toll naka

The accused, Neelam Sorewala, who fled the spot after the incident, was later arrested and released on bail. She told the police she fled the spot due to the fear of being attacked or assaulted by the crowd which was starting to gather.

According to the police, on Saturday Gutukade was sitting on a chair on the footpath at the toll gate, from where he was supposed to note down the license numbers of the passing vehicles. The accused, while passing by, hit the chair around 12.30pm and drove away without providing any help.

Another security guard, Chandan Kumar, 24, was sitting right next to Gutukade minutes before the incident, told the police, “When I went back to check the damage after the crash, I saw that the chair he was sitting on was completely crushed and had gone flying to the other side of the toll gate. Ramesh was thrown 50 feet ahead and landed close to the bus stop near the toll naka.”

Looking further towards the sea link, Kumar saw a woman get out of a Kia car, who quickly climbed back into the car and drove away. After taking a picture of the car from behind, he went to see Gutukade, who was lying in a pool of blood and bleeding from his head and mouth.

Kumar then informed his supervisor who brought a car to take the injured security guard to the hospital. Gutukade was declared dead before admission to the hospital.

A case has been registered under sections 297 (rash driving that puts the lives of others at risk) and 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code as well as the relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.